Hayao Miyazaki Open to a ‘Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind’ Sequel

Hayao Miyazaki Open to a 'Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind' Sequel

During an interview on Japanese talk show “Oosama no Brunch,” animation auteur Hayao Miyazaki hinted that he’s open to the possibility of a sequel to 1984’s “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind,” his second feature film and one of his most beloved by fans. But he wouldn’t want to helm it himself — he’d pass the reins over to director Hideaki Anno (“Neon Genesis Evangelion”).

As pointed out on Rocket News, Miyazaki and Anno’s friendship dates back to the original “Nausicaa,” when Miyazaki selected Anno to help animate it; he was subsequently very impressed with Anno’s work, entrusting him with some of the most complex action sequences of the film. Since then, Anno has spoken about wanting to continue the “Nausicaa” series (the 1984 film is an adaptation of just the first of three manga).

Meanwhile, Miyazaki’s latest, “The Wind Rises,” is headed to Toronto for its North American premiere (watch the stunning trailer here) in advance of an Oscar qualifying run–a full campaign is planned by North American distributor Disney. A documentary on Studio Ghibli is also in the works, which goes behind the scenes with Miyazaki as he finishes that film, as well as Isao Takahata (“Grave of the Fireflies”) as he works on “The Tale of Princess Kaguya.”